Glasgow Tigers 23
Clyde Valley Blackhawks 34

This was a game that was being billed as “Payback Time” for the Tigers following their defeat at the hands of the Lanarkshire outfit at Lochinch last year.  

But like most things in life, nothing is ever clear cut and straightforward.

Based on the form shown by both sides this year, this was set to be a closely contested affair, with both sides having shown that they were capable of wracking up the points.

The Tigers certainly had home advantage in their favor, but this was a game that could easily have gone either way.  

From a spectator’s point of view, they witnessed a very entertaining four quarters of football.

If anything the “Payback” tag might have worked against the Tigers during the early stages of the game, with Clyde Valley engineering an impressive opening drive, which ended with quarterback James Keogh sending a precision lob to Gary Orr for the opening six points, with Tam Chapman splitting the uprights for the extra point conversion.

The Tigers struggled to mount and effective reply and soon found themselves in trouble again when another precision pass from Keogh, fell into the hands of Ryan Rodgers for a 23 yard completion, who sprinted the remaining 10 yards unopposed for a second touchdown.

However any notion that this game was going to be one way traffic was quickly put to rest, on the next Tigers drive when quarterback Gregor Beattie displayed the kind of form shown during the College Season this year when he put the Blackhawks defense off balance with a deep pass to Ruaraidh MacDonald to finally open the home side’s account, with William McLauchlan, splitting the uprights for a successful conversion attempt.

The Tigers should have tied the scoring late in the first quarter, when Keogh was intercepted by Jamie McCansh, who sprinted two thirds the length of the field and into the endzone.

But the Blackhawks got a luck break when the officials chalked off the touchdown due a penalty on the home side.   Losing those six points due to a breakdown in discipline was something that would come back to haunt them later in the game.

The visitors took advantage of their good fortune and stretched their lead during the latter stages of the first half when Keogh took advantage of some blown coverage by the Tigers defense inside their own redzone when Keogh sent a pass up the middle to an unmarked David Orr for an easy touchdown, which was converted once again courtesy of the boot of Chapman.

Things started to look more positive for the Tigers during the second half when Beattie picked off Ally Choat at the Clyde Valley 11 yard line.

The home side continued to edge close with Kieran Philips moving the ball to just short of the goal line.

On the next play, Scott Watson finished the drive off, powering through the middle and diving over the goal line for a welcome six points, with McLauchlan making things all square with another successful conversion kick.

With everything to play for, the game was turning into a defensive struggle, with both teams struggling to find the decisive killer touch inside the redzone.

But Glasgow managed to progress up field enough for McLauchlan try his luck with a field goal attempt, which was successful and game the home side the lead for the first time.

With a quarter still to be played, there was still time for plenty of more scoring, but it would not come from the Tigers, who despite their efforts, where showing signs of tiredness.

The home side surrendered their 3 point lead early in the final period when Keogh fired a 24 yard pass to David Orr for his second touchdown of the day.

But when they are up against it, the Tigers will always continue to fight to the end.  But they soon had the stuffing knocked out of them with 7 minutes of playing time remaining when “G Mac” burst through the Tigers defense, sprinting 52 yards for the final touchdown of the day, with Chapman once again adding another conversion kick.